+ 9 KNOW YOUR LIMITS & RESPECT THEM
Ok so I get a text one day, "Hey Tread, I'm in the ER and my bicep is in my delt". So let me back up, shortly before this the individual in the text was telling me how much stronger he had got using dbol in the last couple weeks. This brings me to my reason for this post, just had a PM from a buddy here telling me how much more he could do as his tren kicked this week. You didn't get much stronger at all in 2 weeks, ever, no matter what you do in the kitchen and gym. What you did do is use a compound that allowed you to use more of your strength than you nornally could.
Have you ever heard the stories where someon was scared and had super human strength? Car fell on a friend and they lifted it etc etc...most of those stories end with an injury and some with serious back ,tendon , muscle injury. During that quick little scare the rush of adrenaline allowed an individual to use all their strength. Why can't we use all of our strength to begin with? It is a defense mechanism for the body, if you could use all your strength on command you would, and if you could I'd be in the biggest industry on the planet, rehabilitation. Reason for that is everyone would be injured all the time because if you can use all your strength you are on that fine line where injury occurs.
So here is the point, when using any compound such as dbol or tren or in fact almost all compounds, you will be able to exceed your "available" strength. You will feel much stronger especially using some compounds and all it is , is your body now having the ability to use an amount of your muscle that naturally you can't use. This means you have have used an overide to the body's natural defense mechanism to protect you from injury and that also means you are much more likely to be injured. For what? So you can meet your bench goal for 3 weeks one time in history before going back to your natural strength after the dbol is gone? Is it worth it? Ask anyone who's been knocked out of the game for 3 months and they will tell you no.
Its this...know your natural limitations and respect them. Yes, increase weight if you wish but do it with respect . Increasing your bench by 50 lbs in one week and adding 3 reps on top of it will get you eventually. May not be this cycle or even the next but at some point in time its comin for you and when it does you'll wish you had slowed your roll as opposed to trying to impress the girl doing cardio watching you like a hawk. If you do get hurt maybe she'll come running and kiss it but she'd probably kiss it now if you ask and without the injury.
QUICK ADDITION TO THE POST HERE...Credit to logan below adding to the thoughts . As you are able to use more of the muscle you have with certain compounds, remember that your tendons have been conditioned to be as strong as needed for the percentage of muscle you were previously using. This means tendon injury is going to be much more likely to occur while using certain compounds reflected above.
Don't be like Ed people...not cool !
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Yea man....ur ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. LISTEN TO THIS MAN. I've been outta the gym for 3 weeks going on 4 cuz I'm still injured. I thought I needed to up my squats cuz they just weren't growing as fast as I wanted them to. Terrible mistake. My back is injured very bad and its been killing me in boxing and jui jitsu. I can't train properly and its showing. So now I'm not only NOT getting my legs bigger...I'm beginning to loose the friggin weight I've been trying so hard to gain. Its simple and we should all KNOW this...butis a matter of discipline. You gotta respect ur limitations and its ALWAYS gunna take time, even on cycle. Because that's how the body works. Here's another fact.....YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY WITH UR PHYSIQUE. Ull always wanna gain a few more pounds or loose a little more fat or get ur calves bigger or whatever. So don't Injure urself trying to push boundries too far. That's my mistake. I was getting frustrated with my legs so I was like fuck it I'm adding 50 lbs and on my second rep....fucked! Its a lifestyle marathon, not a sprint. Unfortunately the nature of juicing is that u think ur gunna magically turn into arnold and when it doesn't happen as quick as u want....you go harder....then too hard and ur back on the couch eating toaster struedels with a hot pack on ur back....go slow and steady. WISE WORDS.
HAHAH my back hurts so much. I tried picking up a pretzel thin I dropped 4 weeks ago. I cant roll over in bed etc. I scream randomly.
But I'm a disabled veteran gents. I injured more body parts in combat then most average people train at the gym
The doctor says I need a backeotomy. Shes so sexy. I spent 300 in two weeks at the chiropracter. I took on a second job so I could go there. The Blondy picks all 210 of me up and tosses me around then jumbs on my back while a table pistons my pelvis
Then the brunette looks mad cute while rubbing me with the softess moistess hands I ever felt.
They heat me, shock me. And when my 20 minutes is over I am begging for more!!!!
I do miss squats, bench, shoulder press, gorrilla press, reverse cow girl. But when your hurt you gotta stick to the simple shit. Like the elipitical and machines.
Careful guys. Injuries are horrifiying!
Drunk post????
I dont drink. hahaha
Lol thats what i thought too
my bench is starting to go up really fast, but I just make sure my form is proper, is that enough to prevent injury?
tread-mNo its not brother because yoou can't gain strebgth as fast as you are referring to, its not possible. You are gaining some strength but more of what you have going on is that your use is allowing you to use some of your own strength you previously did not have access to except under a "fight or flight" situation when adrenaline skyrockets. This is strength we are not intended to use. Best policy is if you could bench 50 more on say a tren cycle in 2 weeks time, only go up 10 for example. You're still pushing new meat but not taking the much higher risk of serious injury. When you say "really fast" thats prime injury territory. again, may not happen this cycle or even the next but at some point in time reality will find you and put you in check. Great form is wonderful but not very beneficial when your benching 360 with tendons and muscle conditioned 2 weeks agao to hit 320. Its not a scenerio in which you can "always" win and there are conditions in which you can almost always win by pushing up slow even when you can do more and want more.
i'm keeping the reps high though, at least 8-10
Yeah...let's see here. Just started this cycle around two weeks ago and giving thoughts back to my last cycle in the spring. My dumbass fell victim to the NOT CARING about respecting my limitations around the 6 week mark to a 12 weeker simple test/oral run. I almost crippled myself for about the rest of the cycle if I hadn't PM'd a few experienced members about the pain I was getting in and around my elbows/biceps/brachioradialis. I went from killing it on the bench press, making some pretty sick ass gains REAL FAST in strength repping 275 lbs. like it was something I had done all my life, and in all honesty...I used to struggle several years ago occasionally with 205 lbs.(a reconstructed shoulder will do that to ya).
Anyway, point of my story, I gave no regard to cycling my training while ON-CYCLE, such as varying weightage and rep schemes, etc. and almost ended up wasting a cycle on stupidity, getting all caught up in adding more and more weight every workout like some kind of jabroni at the gym I always laugh at :-P
Oh, so I went from repping 275 to having a hard time even getting ONE press comfortably at 185...and I had to drastically alter my chest routine and some other aspects of my OTHER workouts just to get my body to heal up a lil' bit. Never quite figured out exactly what exercise I was missing or what I was doing wrong, except that as soon as I quite lifting heavy every workout...the pain slowly started to subside, lol. One thing that did help me recover faster was high rep/low weight bicep work, go figure. Giving plenty of thought to my workouts this time around...just like trying different compounds, it isn't a race...and even if it is a race, it isn't one in which you are going to win quickly without the CORRECT thinking, structuring, and planning...although I am guilty at times, but I am also human?
tread-mYou're so right brother, not a race and if it is the turtle always wins for some reason..Slow Roll To The Big Show and I also love the thought that its not a destination, its a journey...whats the hurry.
LOL...easier said than done in a GO,GO,GO!!! Society, I always gotta tell myself to relax. Me personally I know I can't have the same intensity of every workout or else I can AND will hurt myself. Today I did the lower half fairly intense...next workout isn't until Sat. morning, chest and some back...I'll drop the intensity a lil' bit, but elevate the reps a lil' more...next week when I do legs again, I'll drop some weight and add more reps.
I am just kinda winging it right now...mixing ideas from older routines and such and writing it all down in a notebook at the gym right before I workout and then during and afterward. I like bringing a lil' spontaneity to the weight room occassionally...who says you have to stick to a routine for 4 weeks to see results?! I think shit like that gets stale too quick...I've done it before. Switch it up!!!
tread-m"switch it up"..yuuup, constant state of confusion is my world as well brother. Not same shit go bigger, that does get old and not nearly as effective or efficient IMO.
Anonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VrFV5r8cs0
Once again my thanks on this reminder of how to behave. I was indeed getting wrapped up in all this new found strength, or return of strength. But the truth is Im just not 23 anymore, so pushing my self to return to my "20's strength" was a mistake. I ended up at the chiropractor 3 times last week.
Its difficult because trying to push harder becomes a primary motivating factor, but the reality is when you hit a plateau its that much more discouraging.
Im going to take this reminder to increase my weight gradualy, not to expect to undo 10 years in 6 months, and to stay motivated not by the number on the bar, but the fact that my physical condition is returning to where I have wanted it for years.
Give them a vote if you find it helpful.PermalinkI know plenty of guys who's bi's have rolled up like a window shade... It ain't pretty :(
tread-mLittle bro's training partner has had more than one and can't even fully extend his damn arm now! Never learns : (
Good good points brother and something we should ALL bear in mind especially now the colder weather is setting in... you my friend and a few other close members will probably remember last xmas eve i hit the gym cold and started to do heavy x bench d/bell pullovers.. after the third or fouth rep i heard a pop like a raw carrot snapping!.. that my friends was a fkn rib cracking due to not warming up properly... jesus the pain crippled me for the whole xmas and new year period like stabbing pains on every breath, trained around it best i could but it took a full 3 months to heal properly..Guess what!!.. i do 2 warm up sets for every body part since that shit happened and touch wood i have been injury free since apart from the normal tendon shock now and then.
+3 bro for thinking about our safety and bringing it to the fore.
Glad to hear those rotator cuffs are better that raincoat flasher exercise is a little gem lol...lol
tread-mYuuup, I rememher it all well. Sucks! Lol..Yeah brother finally getting the relief and popping all but completely gone just being patient and slowly working the rehab exercize you gave me and just bringing that weight up nice and slow. Bench and side laterals really got it going but spent some time not even bringing the laterals all the way up and doinf wide flies as opposed to straight up pushes along with the raincoat methos and its sounding good and feeling good! Don't you hate not being 100%?!!! I'm there though brother, 98% I'd say and thats a nice place!
Batman has no limits.
AnonThis hit home really, really, hard. I had my left shoulder scoped Oct. 6th 2011 and bounced back really fast. My right shoulder started giving me some trouble (The check engine light come on) and I ignored it and kept on bench pressing, then I actually hear this RRRIIIPP!!! I managed to get it racked whew. So this time it wasn't a scope it was an open rotator cuff surgery on May 24 2012. The Bursa Sack was torn, IIRC they took it out and said I would grow a new one. I’ve got 2 stainless steel anchors now too. Sad to say a lot of hard work has gone down the drain and this sucka still hurts. I can’t help but wonder if it would have been a simple scope as well if I would have just not bench pressed that day.
tread-mI hear ya brother. I've been more careful as time goes on and continue to grow without showing off and pushing beyond my safse zones. I likely was able to rehab both cuffs with Vikes help and a rehab buddy of his. Slowed my roll way back, did the rehab exercizes and nearly a yr later I'm back to big bells on the bench and side laterals etc but still within my known range, even on the compounds that allow me to exceed it. Its that "just because you can, does not mean you should" thing.
That's why it's important to log the weights you use so you don't over do it and hurt your self. Good post!
tread-mNice point!
Coming off a bad injury....its all about volume, the pump, fatigue. After being in awesome shape prior, the last few months definitly put a review in place. Great advice as usual big bro!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETShkg-65fY
tread-mLmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
That's the first thing I thought of after I read this post.
I pictured you sitting all of us down telling us to know our damn role and shut our damn mouth. Lol.
tread-mI laughed because it remkinded me of a family meeting with the kids as they grew up! Lmaooooooooooooooooo
!Daddy must be on that damn tren again...sigh
lol
so you hurt yourself.. I told you so and you wouldn't listen!! Is it because I am a grrrl? I bet that was it, you didn't want a grrrl telling you to slow your roll... or you were trying to impress that new young hottie at the gym. what did I tell you about messing around with the towel grrrls.. well you know how to reach me if you need some hand holding
grrrl shakes her head and walks away
tread-m"Tread watches grrrl walk away but not looking at her head shake..." And she wonders why I got injured! Pfffft...
great post bro +1
DONT JUDGE ME! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF ABUSE I GET AT HOME FROM MY OLD LADY! I HAVE TO BE 160% ALL DAY EVERYDAY JUST TO HANDLE THE ASS WHIPPINGS THAT SHE GIVES ME! DO I GO TOO HARD ON MY BOWFLEX? YOU BET YOUR ASS I DO! ITS SURVIVAL BABY SURVIVAL!
tread-mYou're using too many bands on the bowflex brother, listen now or pay later!!! Btw, you did downgrade to the 80 lb compound bow as I suggest right? That last hunt scared me when I had to pull the 145 back for you and when you said thanks Daddy" it freaked me a bit! Sure, I said "who's your Daddy" as I pulled it back for you but its a figure of speach brutha!
I know bro. I only know "Go Hard or Go home!" I hear that every night from my girlfriend so it sticks deep in the mind. You know what I mean? I be hitting Richard Simmon's Rockin to the Oldies 5 times a week and that shit can kill a man but I don't care. I gott's to be big like my homeboy Tread and my Big ass girl friend.
Shit bro. Thanks for the daddy revelation..ITS A LITTLE TOO LATE NOW! I had already bought you that 6 month crossfit membership for fathers day. WTF am I going to do with it now?
Anongood points brother. adding to that: although the muscles play a big role in the strength factor, it is primarily a CNS response that triggers the contractions. So many different compounds out there - OTC or otherwise - that stimulate the CNS to some degree. Caffeine for instance has been scientifically proven to reduce accute symptoms of fatigue. As a result, they can give the perception of increased strength or improved stamina. This is not necessarily the case. Be intune with your body so that - like you said - you know your limits and can respect them, as this is the only true way to grow. Just because your compound kicked in and you found yourself adding 20-40lb to your curls and still banging out 10 reps doesn't mean your muscles gained that much strength over night. It's mostly a CNS response, and it can easily fool you into pushing beyond your limits to the extent of injury. Good advice, tread. nothing wrong with using the overload principle, but KNOW AND RESPECT YOU LIMITS and do it properly. Keep the advice and knowledge flowing brother, as we always build from it.
tread-mThank you D, beautiful points!
Anonthank you sir
Give them a vote if you find it helpful.PermalinkGreat post tread as usual.People need to remember they are taking chemicals to exceed their bodies natural strength and in doing so put stress on other parts of their bodies. If I might add to your post, one of the biggest injuries is to tendons. When on AAS your muscles get strong rather quickly but your tendens do not causing injuries and pain to them. Going up gradually in weight is the best way to make sure your tendons can adjust to the increased muscle strength.
tread-mAgree with below, VERY GOOD POINT logan!
Anonvery good point! i'd bump ya on that if i could.
Very true!
So true. Be strong. Stay smart.